2011 Mercedes-Benz SLK200 Reviews

Ewan Kennedy reviews the 2004, 2005, 2008 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 Mercedes-Benz SLK as a used buy.

The Mercedes-Benz SLK roadster was one of the earliest examples of the modern day open-top car. Earlier versions weren't really sports cars; rather, they were open-top tourers. With each new model, the SLK moved more in the direction of genuine sports driving, perhaps not a full-on sports machine, except in AMG variants, but getting mighty close.This was one of the first convertibles in modern times to use a folding hardtop, something that's become almost the norm since Mercedes revived the concept that dates back to the 1930s.A disadvantage of the hardtop that folds is the amount of space it takes from the boot when it's not in use. Mercedes has managed the compromise well, but check for yourself to make sure there is enough room for your specific needs.The second-generation Mercedes-Benz SLK roadster was launched late in 2004. It's larger than the original and followed a styling theme sort of based on the front of a Formula One car.The third generation arrived downunder in September 2011, only a couple of months after its European launch - illustrating the growing importance of Australia to the German head office. This time its styling made it look like a smaller version of the AMG SLS sports roadster. While the Mercedes SLK doesn't have a bonnet that stretches to the outrageous length the SLS's, it certainly does make a statement.The Mercedes-Benz SLK was launched only with four-cylinder engines, many of which were supercharged. Later models followed convention by being turbocharged instead.Servicing and spare parts aren't cheap, nor are they as expensive as you might expectA major revamp of the SLK in July 2000 saw a V6 being offered for the first time. Big-gun V8 models, heavily revised from the original by the AMG division, have stunning acceleration backed up by superb engine sounds.Most Mercedes SLKs use an automatic transmission. A six-speed manual option was offered in Australia only on the SLK200 Kompressor.Mercedes SLK is backed up by strong dealer networks. Servicing and spare parts aren't cheap, nor are they as expensive as you might expect.Insurance is generally moderately priced for a car in this class, but drivers with a poor record may have big slugs added to their premiums. Some companies will charge extra for the AMG variant.Many Mercedes-Benz SLKs are serviced by authorised dealerships and this adds to the value of the car at resale time. Ask to see the service books as proof. Smart owners then keep up the service record to maximise the value of their SLK when they eventually want to move onto another car.Feel and listen for correct operation of the roofLook over the interior for signs of an SLK that's been caught in the rain with its top down: water damage or stains, particularly in the dash top, instrument panel, seats and carpets. Lift the carpets to check for dampness. It's probably best to do this in the presence of the seller as technically you're pulling the car apart.Feel and listen for correct operation of the roof. Hesitation and/or creaks may mean it hasn't been lubricated correctly. Dealers tell us special lubricants are required.Check for signs of crash repairs: ripples in the panels when viewed end on are easy to spot, as are tiny paint spots on unpainted areas such as glass and badges.If crash repairs appear to have been carried out arrange for a full inspection by someone who specialises in upmarket cars.Always call in a Mercedes expert for the final wordThe engine should start promptly and idle steadily the moment it fires up. The four-cylinder units won't be quite as smooth as the sixes, but not that far from them.Check the gauge to make sure the engine warms up quickly.During your road test the engines should answer the throttle almost immediately. The supercharged 'Kompressor' units and the non-turbo engines will have a faster response than the turbo-petrols.After doing your own initial checks always call in a Mercedes expert for the final word.We check the condition of the left front wheel and tyre of any car before looking at anything else. A scratch probably indicates a poor driver. Multiple scratches and dings? Perhaps look elsewhere.

Four models will wear the SLK badge before the end of the first quarter of 2012. But for now, there's two - the SLK200 and SLK350 - separated by power, features and a wide $36,000 gap.VALUEThis is in the eye of the beholder and yet even the "cheap" SLK200 is well kitted out. Standard is a seven-speed automatic attached to a 1.8-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine. The electric steel roof goes down (and up) in less than 20 seconds, there are 17-inch alloy wheels, iPod/USB friendly audio, heated seats, solar-reflective leather seats and a 147mm colour screen. It's only when you factor in the extras in the SLK350 ($118,900) such as HDD sat-nav, multi-media Comand system, bi-xenon headlights and that big engine that you recognise the reason for the price difference.DESIGNThe SLK is basically the previous model with some heavy styling changes to the nose. It picks up the SLS design for the grille and the aluminium bonnet. From behind it looks a lot wider than the outgoing model, yet appearances deceive because the difference is only 33mm.The single-bar grille looks more masculine - an image Mercedes admits was the aim, yet was coy about putting that in words - and the use of LED running lights literally sparkles up the front. The cabin also takes hints from the SLS - big, round air vents, for example - and while it looks good straight out of the box, looks a whole lot better with the optional AMG kit.TECHNOLOGYThe supercharger in the Kompressor models of the previous SLK has been given the flick. Now it's a turbocharger doing all the blowing. And the whole car is better for it, particularly the reduction in engine noise. The Magic Sky roof - which changes from clear to heavily tinted at the switch of a button - is a $4550 option. Perhaps it's worth it for cities with extreme climates.The Airscarf, which blows warm air on your neck, gets approval for its value, as does the flip-out acrylic panels behind the head restraints that dramatically reduce cabin turbulence. The seven-speed auto - there's no manual unless you make a specific order - is an important inclusion . Same applies to the AMG package option which is $5900 for the SLK200 and $3200 for the SLK350.SAFETYFive star crash rating, six airbags (including a proper head-protecting curtain bag that rises from the top of the door) and all the best electronic aids for the chassis and brakes are standard Mercedes fare.DRIVINGThe package of a front engined, rear driven two seater pretty much indicates how the car will drive. The SLK and BMW Z4, for example, are similarly balanced. But the detail splits them apart. The SLK200 impresses with its strong little engine and impressive power spread from around 3000rpm to 6500rpm. The seven cogs in the auto play a big part in getting the best from the engine, but it won't disguise engine noise - which can get raspy despite a special acoustic box that introduces a more dramatic sound into the cabin.Ride and handling are designed for smooth roads - something lacking on the test route around Ballarat - so rutted bitumen really shakes the body (YOUR  body). Roof down in the SLK200 without the deflector is too breezy to hold a conversation. Steering is very good and, road surface dependent, the little car hangs on really well through fast corners. But though there's a huge financial yawn between the SLK200 and the SLK350, the later is a completely different car. It's fast, sounds like a sports car, has wind deflectors that allow comfortable roof-down touring and has a (slightly) better ride. Slightly, probably because of the weightier V6 eng ine up front.VERDICTAn improvement on the outgoing model but still a specialised purchase which puts it in the same league as the Porsche Boxster and BMW Z4. But its powertrain offering - four cylinder, V6 and from early 2012, a 5.5-litre normally-aspirated V8 - widens its market and creates a convertible for nearly all needs.MERCEDES-BENZ SLKPrice: $82,900 (SLK200), $118,900 (SLK350)Warranty: 3-years/100,00km, roadside assistResale: 56% (est.)Service interval: 15,000km/12 monthsSafety: 5-starEngine: (SLK350) 3.5-litre V6, 225kW/370NmBody: 2-door 2-seat convertibleWeight: 1540kgTransmission: 7-speed auto, rear driveThirst: 8.3L/100km, 95 RON, CO2 194g/km"Family nose is only part of the evolution of this desirable roadster"

The heat is on to get younger - and young at heart - owners into the new Mercedes-Benz SLK. Droptop sportscar driving fun all year round is the aim for of the third incarnation of the Mercedes-Benz two seater.The new hard-topped convertible has been endowed with the styling cues of the SLS AMG and the more recent CLS, as well as more efficient BlueEfficiency powerplants - two-turbo four-cylinders and a petrol V6, claiming up to 25 per cent better fuel economy.Australian SLK buyers will be offered the SLK 200, 250 (in lieu of the 300) and 350 models with only the seven-speed automatic when the model line-up arrives in the third quarter, but a diesel model offered in Europe is unlikely to make it here.What will make it here is the next AMG model, but details on the high-performance model's engine choice and other details are yet to be finalised.VALUEPricing is not yet set but Mercedes-Benz says the prices announced in Melbourne at the Australian International Motor Show mid-year will be close to the $92,000 starting price of the current model, with extra features to more than off-set any small increase.The range kicks off with the SLK 200 and SLK 250, both powered by the 1.8-litre direct-injection turbocharged four-cylinder; the 200 delivers 135kW and 270Nm; the 250's outputs from the same engine jump to 150kW and 310Nm .The SLK 200 claims 6.1 litres of premium unleaded per 100km and a 0-100km/h time of seven seconds. The SLK 250's thirst is 0.1 l/100km more, but the sprint time drops to 6.6 sconds.The 3.5-litre V6 engine in the SLK 350 - also seen in the new C-Class (on which the SLK is based) but not on the Oz-bound list - generates 225 kW and 370Nm, claiming the sprint to 100km/h is completed in 5.6 seconds. The V6, which claims fuel use of 7.1 litres per 100km, has been revamped to use third-generation direct injection and piezo injectors.Among the features list is the stop-start fuel saving system, Bluetooth phone and music link, leather-wrapped steering wheel, leather seat trim, seat heaters, trip computer, centre infotainment satnav display, LED running lights, the Airscarf heaters and a veratile (if small) boot with a reversible floor.The new SLK also has three suspension set-ups - standard steel-spring suspension, a sports-tuned version of the conventional system or the Dynamic Handling option, which adds the Sports button to sharpen up the chassis with electronically-controlled dampers.TECHNOLOGYThe SLK range now features stop-start as standard, appeasing the greenie conscience a little, but the most obvious hi-tech feature is the clever roof.Anyone who likes transition spectacle lenses will love the new world premiere (optional) Magic Sky Control roof, which transforms from transparent to heavily tinted at the touch of a button.The glass pane of the roof panel is altered by electricity - the particles are positioned to allow light through, until the voltage drops, when the particles re-align and partially block the light.The Dynamic Handling package includes the company's Direct-Steer variable-ratio system and the torque vectoring brake system, which brakes the inside rear wheel on corner entry to help the car turn in.DESIGNThe SLK has been given the new family nose, with the long bonnet, rear-set cabin and abbreviated rump all combing to complete an aesthetically-pleasing package, roof up or down.The company cites its iconic 1950s 190 SL, the new CLS and the SLS AMG all as styling influences. The bonnet and front wings are made of aluminium, but use of composite materials in the rear and lightweight steel, the body remains rigid but 13kg lighter than its predecessor.The interior oozes ergonomic character and quality, thanks to materials used - more SLS cues can be found, with the four round, galvanised air outlets.SAFETYAs you'd expect there's no shortage of safety technology - active head restraints, adaptive headlights, tyre pressure warning system and day-time running lights.There are dual front airbags, including a head airbag for lateral protection in the head impact area, as well as a side thorax airbag in the seat backrest.Added to the SLK's list is the drowsiness detection system Attention Assist, PreSafe and PreSafe Brake - which can hit the brakes autonomously if the detects a rear-end collision is imminent.The SLK can also have Distronic Plus active cruise control, the Intelligent Lights and Speed Limit Assist, which spots speed limit signs using a windscreen-mounted camera.DRIVING The tight, twisty and mountainous roads of Tenerife gave the SLK plenty of scope to shine and in some ways it did.The small turbo four powerplant in the SLK 250 sampled first makes all the right sort of noises, thanks to a "sound generator" that enhances the powerplant sound track, particularly the intake noise. The extra plumbing works, but the powerplant feels a little hesitant to get into its stride coming out of tight hairpins.The ride quality in both the base and electronically-damped cars is very good - even on the steep, frost-bitten sealed goat tracks - delivering decent body control as well, but some more accuracy and feel to the steering wouldn't go astray.The 250 and the seven-speed auto seem a good team, with downchange blips when the transmission's sport mode is engaged, although the ratio change could be snappier - it is being touted as a sportscar after all.The V6 powerplant doesn't need fancy plumbing to make nice noises, delivering deceptively quick progress, although it felt a little light on low-down torque. The seven-speed auto tacked on the back of the V6 had "issues", defaulting from the manual change mode using the paddles to the full-auto Economy mode - on a couple of the V6 cars.Mercedes-Benz staffers suggested heat and altitude on a spirited hillclimb drive might have initiated a protection mode.The aerodynamic performance of air deflectors with the roof down was effective, which meant little in the way of cabin buffeting, even well above normal highway speeds; the heated seats and the Airscarf neck vents kept the sub-10 deg C ambient temperature at bay.VERDICTAs a year-round proposition, the SLK - in either guise - is a capable all-rounder, but drivers looking for a scalpel to carve corners will be looking elsewhere in Stuttgart.Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class.Price: from around $92,000.Engine: 1.8-litre turbocharged direct-injection four-cylinder, 3.5-litre direct-injection V6.Transmission: seven-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive.Power: 135kW, 150kW; 225kW.Torque: 270Nm, 310Nm; 370Nm.Performance (seconds 0-100km/h, top speed): 7.0, 6.6, 5.6; 237km/h, 243km/h, 250km/h (governed).Fuel consumption (litres/100km): 6.1, 6.2, 7.1, tank 60 litres.Emissions (g/km): 142, 144, 167.Suspension: independent, coil springs, gas-pressure shock absorbers, stabiliser bar (front); multi-link independent, coil springs, gas-pressure shock absorbers, stabiliser.Brakes: four-wheel discs, front venntilated discs, with anti-lock, stability control systems.Dimensions: length 4134mm, width 1810mm, height 1301mm, wheelbase 2430mm, track fr/rr 1559/1565mm, cargo volume 335 (roof up)/225 (open-top) litres, weight 1470-1540kg.Wheels: 16in (17 in on 250 & 350).